


Be Who You Need To Be

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, first chapter is like Moana, i just liked the beginning song a fuck ton, island au, maybe smut later if wanted, mermaid lance, shiro is keiths brother kinda, the rest is very different
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 03:53:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11774928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Keith is to take over the island as chief in Shiro's place. However, he longs to find out where he's from. The only real solution is to run away, right? However, not far into his journey, he's stuck with a stupid merman he rescued. Now the merman, Lance, won't leave him be until the debt is repaid.





	Be Who You Need To Be

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter is like a Moana AU, but the rest of the story is SUPER DIFFERENT.
> 
> I hope you like it, I've never written a Klance fic ^^

No one goes beyond the reef. That’s the only rule Keith knew of growing up of the island of Altea, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to break it. While everyone else was happy here, Keith couldn’t help but feel there was more to life. 

Years ago, he washed up on the island. He remembered nothing, he knew nothing, yet he was taken under the chief’s wing. Shiro, his most trusted friend, and his partner, Allura, gave him a home and a life. Even then, he never seemed happy. As the years went on, the ban grew heavier on his shoulders. Shiro could sense the change whenever Keith went to the beach. He’d simply stare out into the ocean… longing. Just like now. 

Keith felt Shiro put a hand on his shoulder, but didn’t turn to meet his brother as he spoke, “No one goes beyond the reef Keith, especially not you. You should know more than anyone in that village that it is dangerous. It’s an unforgiving sea.”

Lowering his head, Keith breathed out a sigh before replying, “I know.”

Shiro sent him a small, reassuring smile before guiding him back toward the village. Keith resisted the urge to turn around. As long as Shiro was around, the water was nearly off limits itself. No one was allowed to go past the barrier islands on boats, but without a boat, one must stay only to their knees in the water. And they must be accompanied. 

It seems harsh, but, as Keith had heard, before he arrived, Shiro went out on a boat with three others to go retrieve a boat that floated away from the barrier islands. When they came back, Shiro and one other were bleeding profusely. Shiro was unconscious, but the others could only explain that they saw someone under the water, tearing their friends open.

That’s supposedly how Shiro lost his arm, but Shiro never spoke of what really happened to him. Keith wondered if he really remembered. 

“Allura said you were up all night last night.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Shiro said with a sigh, brushing some branches out of their path, “I have a lot on my mind.”

“You should still get rest, you aren’t in any condition to just be working all the time.” Shiro went quiet and ignored the last comment. Keith just shook his head, glaring lightly at the back of his brothers head. “You are sick, Shiro. You should rest and let Allura take care of everything.” 

Shiro turned to his brother and frowned, “Keith, I’ve told you this. Allura isn’t taking over, you are. You are going to be chief in my place when I can’t… When I won’t be around, understand?”

“You aren’t going anywhere,” Keith muttered under his breath, though he wasn’t sure if the other heard him or just ignored him. Either way, the chief continued as the entered into the busier part of the village. Everyone was bustling around, bringing in harvested food and making baskets and clothes. Each sent them a smile before continuing to work. 

“Keith, I know you will make an excellent chief one day. You just need to remember where you are from- where you belong,” Shiro smiled, poking Keith’s chest with a finger, “Here.”

Keith stared, noticing the way Shiro’s eyes reflected the true strength and courage of a king. He knew he could never be like that. Still, Shiro took his silence as acceptance and gestured to the people of their world, “It’s time you’ve learned these people are all you will ever need.”

He huffed quietly to himself, but in seconds a hand grabbed his upper arm, pulling him another way. He met eyes with Allura and she simply smiled, pinching his cheek as she guided him to the main hut, “Don’t look so down Keith. We need you over here for a fitting- the ceremony is approaching!”

 

The ceremony where he’d take the village from Shiro. He was growing too sickly to carry it on, and since he had no child himself, they’d pass it to Keith. Closing his eyes tightly, Keith breathed out. 

He had been sick for two months now, some days barely being able to get out of bed. He experienced bursts of pain in his chest and would fall to the ground, screaming. Though he tried to shelter his illness, everyone knew. Just not about how bad it really was. 

Entering the tent, Shiro pushed ahead and gestured to the traditional ceremony clothes made for Keith. It was a red faitaga with spirals and symbols all over, then a headdress that looked way too heavy to wear comfortably. Along with those came a shark tooth necklace and a sheath with the sacred chief sword inside, “Our people will need a chief and there you are. You are them, they are you. You need to realize happiness is right here, with us.”

“Shiro…” Keith began, looking away from him as Allura dropped his arm and walked over to the head dress, taking it off the shelf and placing it on Keith’s head. It was lighter than it appeared, but it still made him feel like sinking into the floorboards.

“Keith, we have everything here. We have food, shelter…. What is the point of going out there to find it when everything is right here…?”

He wouldn’t understand, that much Keith knew. So, instead, he silently helped Allura with his clothing, then fled to the mountain to be alone. 

The day of the ceremony came quicker than he expected. Soon, he was dressed fully in the formal garb, being cooed over by Allura, who just acted so proud of him. He wanted to be happy. Shiro had struggled and came here, though it was one of his bad days. He did that for him. So why couldn’t Keith at least send him a smile? 

The doors burst open and music filled the air. All Keith had to do was walk through the village to the chief's hut, have the elders mark him with the mark of a chief like Shiro had done, and that was it. He could do this. For Shiro. 

With Shiro and Allura at his sides, he walked with his head held high. Dancers danced as they passed, bowing and smiling. It made him sick. Everyone was so happy, so hopeful… But Keith didn’t want this. Shiro was the chief, not him. He could never be like Shiro. Slowly, his gaze began to fixate on the ground as Shiro spoke to him quietly under the music.

“Here, we are safe. We have everything, and we need a strong leader to keep things right,” Shiro whispered, “And when we look to the future, I can only see you. You’ll be okay. In time, you will learn like I did… There will be a day when you’ll realise everything you are looking for is here.”

And with that, Keith ran. He didn’t run to the hut, but instead he ran away. He was scared, his heart was pounding and NO. This isn’t what he wanted. He wouldn’t let this happen. The villagers gasped, trying to stop him, but he managed to get away and dart toward the beach. He couldn’t look back. 

At the beach, he couldn’t hear the music. He couldn’t hear if anyone was following or watching, he was too exhausted. Throwing the headdress to the ground, Keith let out a yell of rage, trying to let the anger out, but not be too loud all at once. And once he was done, he sat down at the edge of the water, on some smooth, large rocks. And there, he cried.

It was hard to stop after that. All the welling emotions and anger. Why did Shiro have to leave? Why was he abandoned, thrown to the sea? Why couldn’t he have answers?

“Shh, it’s alright, it’s alright… Are you okay?”

He tensed, but said nothing as Allura walked over from the woods, a frown gracing her usually cheery face, “Keith… We didn’t mean to frighten you-”

She sat down beside him as he sniffled up the remaining tears, trying to silence himself. She only smiled a little and wiped the tears from his cheeks, then Allura turned to the vast ocean before them, “I like the water too. It always had me mesmerized… It’s unfair to keep it so close, yet ban it. The reasons are there, but… I understand how you feel. It’s hard.”

He looked up, only to see her eyes began to well up as well, staring out into that beautiful blue, “You are just like Shiro, you know? He always loved the water, until the accident. Then things changed… I thought when you came here, he’d lift the ban, but…”

“It only made him even more scared, right?” Keith asked, and she shook her head.

“I don’t know what he was thinking. Perhaps that there was more lives to protect.” Allura wiped her eyes and smiled again, “You two are one and the same. You are both so stubborn and filled with pride… Mind what he says, but remember, you may hear a voice inside… And you should listen to it. Whether what is yours is here, or out there, your heart will guide you.”

“I… I have to be here for Shiro,” Keith whispered, bowing his head to the water as he touched the waves with his fingers, the cold soothing him. 

Allura was quiet, but then stood up and waved her hand toward the sea, “Shiro… isn’t going to be around much longer. We don’t have any means to treat him here. It might just be a hopeless case. That doesn’t mean you need to stay here and carry the burden of it.”

Keith stood up finally, looking towards the other side of the beach where the fishing boats were pulled up for the night. Biting his lip, he breathed out, “What if the cure… is out there?”

They headed back to the village soon after to regroup. It was evident in Shiro’s eyes he was disappointed, so he tried not to look directly to him. Allura went to help clean while Shiro began walking away, “Keith. Follow me.”

By the time the sun was setting, Shiro and Keith arrived to their destination. They were on the top of the island- a hard task for Shiro. Keith had to help him many times, when the elder man would be breathing hard, his chest constricting and groans of pain leaked from his lips. Still, he pushed. He refused to give up until they were on top of the mountain, gazing over the world. Before them was a stacked up pile of flat rocks, nearly as tall as Keith’s chest.

“This here is a sacred place. This is a place for the chiefs, and there will be a time when you will place a rock on this mountain, like all the chiefs before. And that day, you will raise this entire island higher. You are our future. Your people are not out there, they are here.”

“Shiro…” Keith whispered as he reached forward and touched the rock Shiro placed on many years ago. His brother, still clutching a part of his chest, managed to get out, “Keith, you will be everything I’ve ever hoped you’d become. I believe in you.”

“I-I can’t..” Keith began, his own heart beginning to hurt. “Shiro, I can’t replace you.”

“You won’t,” Shiro said, “Keith, you will do better than what I’ve done… Now please, let’s go. You didn’t accept the position yet, but there will still be a party in your honor. Come, your village awaits you.”


End file.
